SOME EARLY SPRING SUNSHINE

Some early spring sunshine on Monday 27th saw several birds of prey soaring in the skies over East Mersea. On a walk between Shop Lane and Meeting Lane, and areas just beyond each Lane, there were five pairs of buzzards seen - over North Farm, Fishponds Wood, near Shop Lane, Gyants Marsh and also two seen over Meeting Lane.

Some of the buzzards were calling, some circling overhead or perched in trees and there was one bird seen displaying over one of the woods.

A male marsh harrier appeared from Reeveshall and flew over fields near Meeting Lane on Monday.

A pair of sparrowhawks circled briefly together and a kestrel was near Shop Lane.

Ten shelduck were resting beside a wet pasture at the back of Reeveshall on Monday.

Chiffchaffs were heard singing at Gyants Marsh, North Farm and two in Shop Lane, while three Cetti's warblers were singing from hedgerows with one near Meeting Lane and two to the east of Gyants Marsh.

Two red admirals were enjoying the sunshine while sheltering out of the northerly breeze on Monday, just east of Meeting Lane.

At West Mersea a red kite was seen flying over Andy Field's house in High Street North on Monday morning.

Steve Entwistle saw a blackcap and 2 chiffchaffs on the south side of the Firs Caravan park also two red squirrels in the same tree on Monday. Later at Cudmore Grove an adder and a pair of long-tailed tits.

On Sunday 26th a pair of chiffchaffs was in Ron Harvey's garden in Whittaker Way and a chiffchaff was singing in Firs Chase too.

Along the Strood seawall on Sunday during a mid-day walk were 25 shelduck, ten avocets, 75 golden plover, nine ringed plover, three little egrets and two linnets were of interest.

An adder was photographed at Cudmore Grove on Saturday 25th by Andy Field.

Oliver Cottis also photographed an adder at Cudmore Grove on Saturday.

A common lizard was watching Oliver very closely as took this photograph at the park on Saturday.

A fox was photographed at the park on Saturday by Oliver.

Probably the same fox seen at the park on Saturday morning, this time photographed by Andy Field.

Walking the Cudmore circuit round the seawall, Andy noted a siskin, two chiffchaffs, eight pochard, 56 curlews, 14 black-tailed godwits, four lapwings on fields, two Cetti's warblers heard, sparrowhawk and a peregrine.

At Maydays and Reeveshall on Saturday 25th, birds noted there included eight red-breasted mergansers, two great crested grebes, 70 redshank, two Mediterranean gulls, two marsh harriers, buzzard, two Canada geese, four greylag geese, 44 stock doves, two pairs of mute swans, chiffchaff singing, 30 chaffinches, ten goldfinches and ten yellowhammers feeding in a game crop. Four brown hares were chasing each other in a wheat field and a brimstone butterfly flew along a hedgerow.